FIVE COMMONLY MISUSED VERBS WITH PREPOSITIONS

REQUEST: This verb does not take the preposition ‘for’.

a.       He requested for more money.(wrong)

b.      He requested more money. (right)

However, when request is used as a noun, it takes the preposition ‘for’. Hence, you can say:  The boy made a request for more money.

2.       COMPRISE: This verb is often mistaken for ‘consist’, which goes with ‘of’. When using ‘comprise’, do not add the preposition ‘of’.

a.       The congregation comprises of several men and women. (wrong)

b.      The congregation comprises several men and women. (right)

Note that ‘comprise’ only takes ‘of’ when it is used in the passive voice. For example: The class is comprised of several men and women.

3.       ADVOCATE: This verb does not go with ‘for’.

a.       He advocated for free education for the citizens. (wrong)

b.      He advocated free education for the citizens. (right)

However, when advocate is used as a noun, it can take the preposition ‘of’. Hence, you can say: He is an advocate of Buhari’s administration.

4.       EMPHASIZE: This verb does not go with the preposition ‘on’.

a.       The president emphasized on his agenda.  (wrong)

b.      The president emphasized his agenda. (right)

However, the noun ‘emphasis’, takes the preposition on. Hence, you can say: The president laid emphasis on his agenda.

5.       ORDER: Like request, this verb does not also take the preposition ‘for’ if it is used in the following context:

a.       We ordered for more goods.(wrong)

b.      We ordered more goods. (right)

Note that it can take the preposition for if it is used as a noun. Therefore, you can say: The store is empty, please place an order for more goods.

Also note that when order is used as a verb giving a command, it should be followed by an object and a preposition. For example: The king ordered her to genuflect.

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AVOID USING THESE REDUNDANT EXPRESSIONS

      

     A group of words in which at least one word is unnecessary because it's presence or absence does not affect the meaning that's already contained in the other word is known as a redundant expression.

          Here are some redundant expressions you should avoid using:

1. They are constantly working on new innovations in the business. An innovation is ‘a new method, idea, product, etc.’, so there's no need to use new to describe one. You should say: They are constantly working on innovations in the business.

2. The two twins are intelligent. As for twins, there can only ever be two of them. You should simply say:  The twins are intelligent.

3. The events will start at 11 a.m. on thefollowing dates below:

 It's not necessary to say below since you already used following.

4. It was a strange place for both of us to be, given our past histories. A person's history is the whole series of past events connected with them. There's no need to use the adjective past in this sentence because this meaning is already contained in the noun history. If you remove the adjective, the meaning of the sentence is unaffected:

It was a strange place for both of us to be, given our histories.

5. The reason for this is because nobody cares. Because means ‘for the reason that’: there's no need to include it in this sentence since this idea has already been expressed. The sentence should read:

The reason for this is that nobody cares.

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FIVE WORDS YOU SHOULD AVOID USING IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

    There are numerous supranational varieties of English in the world today. It is generally known that only two of those varieties are recognized (The Standard British English and The Standard American English). However, several words are misused by foreign speakers of the language while some do not even exist in the English dictionary. Below are some of the coinages and commonly misused words:

1. UPLIFTMENT: I wonder where it came from! I know you are held in disbelief because the watchword of your church is ‘2017, my year of great upliftment’ and you’ve also heard a popular musician use the word upliftment as the title of his track.  The word uplift is both a verb and noun which should appear in your watchword as 2017, my year of great uplift. Get yourself a standard English dictionary and confirm if the word upliftment really exists.

2. PRACTICALISE: I know this also came to you as a surprise because you hear and use it often. The time to stop using it has arrived. Words such as practical, practicability, practicable and practicably are in existence but the word practicalise does not exist in the English Dictionary. Hence, do not say: That theory is hard to practicalise. You should say : That theory is hard to put into practice.

3. INSTALMENTALLY: In standard English, instalment or installment, if you prefer British or American spelling, does not take the ‘ly’ form when it is used as an adverb of manner. Its adverbial form is ‘in instalments’.  So you should say: I will pay for the land in instalments not I will pay for the land instalmentally.

4. MATURED: Many of us misuse the adjective, mature. The word, mature, can be used as a verb and adjective. When used as an adjective, do not add letter ‘d’. Thus, the sentence, ‘She is a matured girl’ is grammatically wrong. You should say: ‘She is a mature girl. However, when used as a verb, you should add the letter ‘d’. As in the sentence: The girl has matured. 

It seems you are confused! Relax; let me give you some hints on how to differentiate between the verb and the adjective:

If it follows the anomalous (has, have and had), it should be used as a verb, i.e. matured. For example: They have matured.

If it follows the primary auxiliary verbs (is, am, was, were, are), it should be used as an adjective. For example: I am mature as you are also mature.

5. OPPORTUNED: I wonder where this word came from! It is not in the English dictionary but that has not stopped its blatant use by all and sundry in Nigeria, especially by media houses. The word, opportune, is an adjective; therefore it has no past tense. However, some verbs can function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence. These verbs are called participles. They are not pure adjectives. Fattened, amused, disgusted, overwhelmed, bored etc. are all participles. The word, opportune, is a pure adjective which means: ‘Suitable or at a time that is suitable’… So, do not add letter ‘d’.  You should say: I couldn’t have arrived at a less opportune moment. Not I couldn’t have arrived at a less opportuned moment.

Don’t be surprised with what you’ve just read; for more information, please do consult a Standard English dictionary. I am sure you’ve learnt some new things, why not click the share icon and allow others to also learn.

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